The Matchmaker
by DaisyDay
Summary: A rom-com story on how Amanda could have been set up with Lee on Valentine's Day. Late season one.
1. Chapter 1

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SCARECROW AND MRS. KING

The Matchmaker

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O'Donnell's Dry Cleaners was a quaint business establishment located on the outskirts of Arlington, Virginia. Although the owner, Mary O'Donnell, was a great American patriot, her heart and traditions belonged to the sea cliffs and lush green meadows of Ireland.

And it was at this small business establishment where Amanda would frequent in order to drop off her clothes to be dry cleaned.

The shop's bell tingled above the door, letting Mary, the owner, know she had a customer. Her smile was genuine when she stepped out from the back and realized it was her favorite customer.

"Good morning, Maryl!" Amanda immediately welcomed her as she placed the pile of clothing on the counter.

"'N a gran' mornin' to yer, Amanda!" Mary greeted her back, with a soft-lilted accent that Amanda could listen to all day, "Yer certainly lookin' luvly today!"

"Oh, _welllll_ , it's just my usual self in my usual jeans!" Amanda humbly sing-songed back. She then noted the newly hung heart decorations as Mary sorted through the clothes.

"And I see you've decorated your shop with cheery hearts!" Amanda observed.

"Aye, gettin' ready for Valentine's Day, I am!" Mary excitedly admitted, then lowered her voice, _"Altho_ ' _'cheery ' wusn't whut Oi wus guin' for, Amanda, but a sense o' romance, instead!"_

"Oh yes, romance. Definitely romance!" Amanda agreeably nodded, as she also took note of the lovely roses on the counter.

"An speakin' of whaich..." there was a mischievous spark in Mary's eyes, as she asked, "to whut spechul man will yer be spendin' this Valentine Day wit'?"

 _An image of Lee immediately entered her mind but she forced it aside. She knew better than to fill her head with the impossible._

"No special man I can think of,..." Amanda fibbed, "but I do have Mother...and my two boys..."

"Pshaw! Tis not the kind 'o speshul Oi be speakin' ov for yer on Valentine's Day!" Mary admonished her, as she finished filling out the receipt and then handed it over to Amanda.

"Oh, I know," Amanda sounded as though it was no big deal as she accept the paper, "but Valentine's Day isn't that big of a deal for me."

She hoped Mary believed her.

"But yer shuld be a-celebratin' it!" Mary insisted, "Now, I know it be a bit old-fashun of me, but yer shuld be 'avin' a suitor on tat speshul day! 'N fact, he shuld be there _ev'ry_ day fer yer! _Why_ , yer as bright as ter mornin' sun 'n as luvly as the rollin' hills of Dublin, yer are!"

Amanda blushed, "Gee, Mary, I'm not sure if I could measure up to Dublin's rolling hills, but I appreciate the thought!"

"Nunsense! Any fine, upstandin' lad wud be _lucky_ to be wit yer!"

Amanda smiled. Ever since she ended her relationship with Dean, Mary had been wanting to set her up.

The way Mary tells it, she had been known as the local village matchmaker back in Ireland, with many mothers of fair maidens seeking our her services in order to find perfect matches for their daughters.

 _Maybe_ , Amanda privately thought, _I shouldn't have come a week before Valentine's Day, not with Mary wanting to try out her matchmaking skills for Valentine's Day._

 _Too late now._

"Well, Mary, you just let me know when you find this fine, upstanding lad for me!" Amanda diplomatically teased, "In the meantime, not too much starch on Mother's white blouse, please!"

"Aye," she acknowledged, then eyed Amanda speculatively, "Yer know, Amanda, back home, Oi've dun me best work at de village matchmakin' festival! 'N fact, me last matchup wus between a simple farmhan' who culdn't read, an' the smartest lassie 'n der village! An' not to be braggin, but they'd ben 'appy together ev'r since!"

Amanda played along, "Goodness, Mary, you ARE good, to match such opposites! But with only a week before Valentine's Day, I doubt you'll have enough time to find a village farmhand for _me_!"

"So yer be teasin' me now, eh? If dat be so, den off wi' yer now!" Mary made fluttery shooing motions with her hands, "but don't yer be worryin' about tat rip in yer heart, dear one! Oi'll be keepin' a lookout fer yer ,an' who knows? Perhaps tat rip can be mended by Valentine's Day!"

Amanda wanted to shake off the words, but sadly what Mary said rang true. There were times she DID feel as if there was a rip in her heart.

But she wouldn't keep her hopes up with finding someone special in a week, though. At least Mary's intentions were pure and she was so very dear to Amanda. She instinctively reached over to hug Mary.

"Good bye, Mary, and I'll see you in a couple of days!"

"Guid bye, Amanda, an yer 'ave a gran' day!"

With a smile and a wave, Amanda left the shop, the bell tinkling after her.

Mary pensively watched Amanda King cross the street until she disappeared from sight.

"'Tis a shame fer such a lovely lassie ter be alone," tsked Mary, with a rueful shake of her head.

Then it was back to work for her.

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Two days later, Lee had finished one errand near Arlington. Being so close to where Amanda lived, Lee's mind drifted to thoughts of her. _They had almost blown their last assignment together, until, once again, Amanda came through at the last minute with her homespun intelligence and the mission was successful._

Still, Lee's stress level seemed to go through the roof whenever he was partnered with her.

 _Ever since Amanda entered his work life, his missions no longer went smoothly. They were now more like a mishmash of fumblings and bumblings, BUT_...he reminded himself as his face softened... _it always turned out at the end_ _AND_ _she surprisingly made his job seem...confusingly cheerful, which was a difficult thing to do when trying to save the world from the bad guys._

He pushed those thoughts aside. It was back to the real world. But first he needed to finish his errands before heading off to work.

Lee made a turn on Walnut Street, wanting to try the local dry cleaners on this side of town. He had never patronized this establishment, but he hadn't been happy with his usual dry cleaners place in Georgetown. The employees there would complain incessantly about having to remove difficult dirt stains or smeared lipstick marks from the clothes he brought in.

 _It was hard work chasing bad guys and good-looking women! What did they expect? That he'd bring in perfectly clean clothes to them?_

He eased his car right in front of O'Donnell's Dry Cleaners and turned off his engine.

 _This place looked promising,_ he thought, observing the faded wooden business sign with the old fashioned lettering. A simple shamrock was painted above the words. It had a charming, welcoming vibe to it, which he liked.

 _Not that an appealing appearance made any difference to him. He just wanted his clothes cleaned._

 _After all, it was just another dry cleaners... right?_

 _._

 _._

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	2. Chapter 2

Lee's Turn

Chapter 2

"Tanks, 'n hope ter see yer soon, Mrs. Kalinsky!" Mary O'Donnell stated, after she had handed the newly dry cleaned clothes to her latest customer.

With a nod, Mrs. Kalinsky headed for the exit, the plastic bag draped over her arm. However, before she could open the door to depart, the bell tinkled above as Lee was about to enter. Seeing that the female customer was about to exit, he gallantly stepped aside and held the door open for her.

Mrs. Kalinsky was obviously pleased by the kind gesture from this handsome stranger.

"Thank you!" Mrs. Kalinsky gratefully exclaimed, with a smile so bright it could light up a room.

"My pleasure," Lee smiled, respectfully bowing slightly.

Meanwhile Mary had witnessed the entire scene.

 _A true gentleman, tat one,_ she silently concluded _, An' handsum, too! Oi_ _wonder if 'e's single?!"_

 _._

As Lee looked around the interior of the dry cleaners establishment, he was impressed. The whitewashed paneled walls, antiquated wooden-framed windows, and a rustic timbered counter gave the place an Old World feel. Behind the counter, two wooden shelves were filled with a variety of knickknacks, including carved Celtic crosses, Gaelic harp statuettes, and tiny ceramic cottages.

The only two things that seemed out of place were the racks of clothing with plastic bags covering them, and the cheesy Valentine decorations hanging throughout the store.

"Guid mornin', Sir!" Mary cheerfully greeted Lee when he approached the counter, "Oi'm Mary O'Donnell, ter owner ov tis place! 'Ow may Oi 'elp yer?

 _Friendly owner,_ Lee thought, as he placed the pile of clothes on the counter.

"Yes, my name's Lee Stetson, and as you can see, I have 2 suits and 3 dress shirts that require cleaning."

As Lee spoke, Mary's eyes had discreetly traveled down to his ring hand.

 _Blessed be!_ She joyously internalized, _No ring!_

Then clearing her throat she got down to business, "Aye, let's see what we 'ave 'ere..."

Meticulously sorting through his clothes, she took note that his clothes were of the highest quality.

"So what do you think?" Lee inquired.

"Oi tink yer 'ave good taste an' yer don't lack fer money!"

Lee smiled, "Actually, I was asking about the price of your services!"

"Aye! T'be sure!" Mary recovered, "De costs will be $35... Will tat be gran' enuf fer yer, Mr. Stetson?"

He nodded his approval, "That'll be fine."

As Mary began writing out the receipt, she was also internalizing a checklist of Lee's qualities:

 _(Single:_ _check!)_

 _(Tall:_ _check!)_

( _Gallant:_ _check!)_

 _( Sophisticated: check!)_

 _(Well-ter-do:_ _check!)_

 _(Guid taste:_ _check!)_

 _(Too handsum fer 'is own guid:_ _double check!)_

 _._

 _A strong contender for Amanda's hand, he'd be!_

But first Mary needed a sign from the good heavens above!

 _._

Upon completion of the receipt, Mary asked, "So, did yer take notice ov all ter decorations throughoyt ter store, Mr. Stetson?"

"Uh, yes," Lee looked slightly confused, "they're... _nice_."

Mary held up the receipt for him, but strangely, it was just far enough out of his reach.

"Do yer knaw why Oi have 'em up?"

"Uh...because it's Valentine's Day?"

She nodded approvingly, "An' do yer believe 'n destiny? _"_

Lee was further stumped, "What?"

She still hadn't given the receipt to him. _It was as if she was holding the receipt ransom._

"Destiny," she repeated and then defined it, "It means somethin' tat's gonna 'appen, no matter whut yer do! Yer knaw…. _'fate.'_

"Yes, I am well aware what 'destiny' _means_ , but...Mrs. O'Donnell, this IS a dry cleaners place, right?"

Unlike Lee, Mary wasn't easily ruffled by the sudden change in subject.

"Aye, tat it be!"

"And it's a place where I drop off my clothes and then picked them up after they're cleaned, right?"

"Aye, tat it be, again!"

"Then... what does 'destiny' have to do with your business _and_ when do I get my receipt?"

"Fair enuf questions, Oi suppose!" Mary admitted, surrendering the receipt to him at last, "Oi wus jus' wonderin' if yer be spendin' Valentine's Day wi' someone speshul, is all!"

Alarms went off in Lee's head, "You don't mean, ... that you think you and I should-"

She chuckled, "Nay, Lad! Yer see, besides runnin' me own business, _Oi 'appen to do a bit o' matchmakin' on ter side!"_

"Why am I not surprise?" he straight-faced.

(Oooo...a guid s _ense ov 'umor, too!_ _Check!)_

She tried again, "So, Mr. Stetson, yer got someone speshul o' not?"

Lee knew the best way out of an uncomfortable conversation with a woman was to opt for a little mild flirtation, "Perhaps I have a few ladies in mind for Valentine's Day, but as I stand here now, they all seem to pale in comparison to the wit and enchantment of one Mary O'Donnell!" he winked.

For one of the few times in her life, Mary blushed, "Mr. Stetson, yer truly be as charmin' as a leprechaun!"

"A leprechaun, eh? I've always enjoyed chasing rainbows!"

"Oh, go on wi' yer now!" Mary reprimanded him, giving him a playful tap on his arm, "Alrigh', so maybe a leprechaun wusn't the righ' comparison, Oi suppose..." she gave it some thought, "'Ndeed, I now see yer as someone who is as charmin' as ter sweepin' vistas on Donegal Bay, yer are!"

Lee gave his awkward chuckle, "Wellll... I'm not sure if I could measure up to Donegal Bay's sweeping vistas, but I appreciate the thought!"

Mary's mouth dropped in astonishment. Her mind was recalling what Amanda had earlier said to her a couple of days earlier:

.

" _Gee, Mary,"_ Amanda had blushed, _"_ _I'm not sure if I could measure up_ _to Dublin's rolling hills,_ _but I appreciate the thought_ _!"_

.

 _Lordy be, almos' identical in wordin'!_

Mary joyously clasped her hands together and gave a grateful look to the heavens above.

 _IT'S A SIGN!_

 _He'd be ter one fer Amanda!_

 _._

"-Mrs. O'Donnell?" Lee looked concerned at her behavior, "Are you alright?"

Her eyes were sparkling, "Destiny!"

"Again with that word?" Lee moaned.

"Yer two were destined ter meet!" she gleamed.

 _The last thing Lee needed was to be introduced to ANOTHER woman. But he liked Mary, and wanted to be gentle when he turned her down._

"I'm sure whoever you have in mind as my 'destiny' would be great...fantastic even….but I, uh, think I'll pass on the 'destiny' thing _this_ year, if you don't mind."

Mary was surprised, "But I already tol' yer Oi'm a matchmaker, Mr. Stetson! An' a guid one at tat!"

"I'm sure you're very good, so if you _really_ want to play matchmaker, how about you _match me up_ with my clean clothes in three days instead?"

And despite her disappointment, she couldn't help liking this delightful stranger.

 _Oh, 'ow he'd be perfect for Amanda!_

"Goodbye, Mrs. O'Donnell" he was saying, as she panicked at his leaving, "and have a nice day!"

He headed for the door.

 _Ack! she must NOT give up!_

"-A dark 'aired beauty she'd be!" Mary yelled to his back, "Altho, if truth be told, she can be a _wee_ bit chatty at times, but she's as smart as a whip an' as clever as a village fox!"

Lee was almost to the door but he stopped mid-step as his mind went through all of Mary's descriptive words.

 _No!_

 _It can't be!_

 _If he didn't know any better, she could be_ _describing..._ _Amanda?_

 _NOOOO!_

 _YET._. _how many supposedly beautiful, single, clever, and especially_ _talkative_ _brunettes could there be in Arlington?_

 _He HAD to know for sure!_

He abruptly turned around and walked back to the counter.

She gave a knowing smile, "Yer come back, yer did!"

"I came back," he concurred as he stared at her with anticipation, "-So... you were saying?"

"Aye, a _fine_ lassie she'd be!" Mary continued, with a faraway look, "-Wit' hair as soft as wool on a sheep's back, an' _eyes_ as warm as ter finest bottle ov whiskey-"

"-Uh, Mrs. O'Donnell?"

"Aye?"

"Could you use _less_ of the Irish poetic platitudes in your descriptions, please?"

Mary laughed, "O' course, Mr. Stetson, Oi can certainly do tat fer yer!"

 _Meanwhile_ , _Lee was already picturing Amanda's surprised look on February 14_ _th_ _when she would expect to meet up with a secret Valentine's date—only to find out that Lee had played a trick on her!_

 _Just the thought that he will have one-upped her, instead of the other way around, caused a big grin to spread across his face._

"-Mr. Stetson, Lad!" Mary broke into his thoughts, "Yer not ev'n listenin' ter me!"

"Oh. Sorry," he apologized, and then with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "You have my full attention, Mrs. O'Donnell..."

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 _Please review_


	3. Chapter 3

Unplanned

Chapter 3

Lee couldn't believe how excited he was as he stepped out of the elevator and entered the Agency's busy hallway.

It was the craziest idea he ever had.

 _The thought of spending Valentine's Day with Amanda had never entered his mind, but after speaking to the Matchmaker, he couldn't STOP thinking about it._

 _He relished the idea that he would be finally in-the-know and she wasn't! He would not be the one giving the confused expressions!_ He gleefully thought.

 _It'll be like experiencing April's Fool and Valentine's, all in one day!_

 _And Amanda would surely think it was funny, too,_ he convinced himself, _After all, they both knew they were so ill-suited for one another. No romantic inclinations whatsoever! What a great laugh they would have afterwards at such a preposterous match-up!_

Still deep in thought, Lee was approaching the bullpen when he spotted a preoccupied Amanda leaving it. She hadn't caught sight of him yet, as she made a left turn down the hallway towards the administrative offices, a big stack of files in her hands.

 _Perfect timing!_ he thought with a self-satisfied grin, picking up his pace.

In no time he was upon her, "Here, let me get those files for you!" he cheerfully volunteered.

"Oh!" Amanda was wide-eyed surprised as she gratefully handed the files over to him, "Thank you, Lee! And a good morning to you! "

"Same to you," Lee greeted, as he finished adjusting the files in his arms" where are you headed with all these files?"

"I'm on my way to drop these off at the steno pool."

"That's a lot of typing for them to do! Good thing I came along like I did to help you carry them over there!"

Amanda gave him a sideways glance, "You certainly seem in a helpful and good mood this morning!"

"Why not? It's a grand morning today, isn't it?"

Amanda did a double-take, "Did you say _grand_ morning?"

"I did. Why?"

 _Amanda thought the word 'grand' was a strange word choice for him. Or perhaps she had spoken to Mary O'Donnell too often._

"No reason, really...so why are you accompanying me?" she wondered.

"Is that so strange?"

"Yes, actually. Usually, you don't want to be seen with me, in case Mr. Melrose sees us together and gets the idea to partner us up again!"

Lee looked incredulous, "Nooo! I'm not like that! _Really_?" He gave an awkward chuckle, "Okay, maybe I _do_ come off that way at times, but on the other hand, being seen with you can really brighten up my day!"

 _And suddenly, Lee realized that he had just spoken the truth._

Meanwhile, Amanda looked astonished, "Well, _that_ was certainly unexpected! I'll need to make sure to walk down the hallway carrying a stack of files in the mornings more often!"

Before long, they had reached their destination. It was an all-glass room, filled with rows of seated typists, their typewriters making _clackety-clack_ sounds.

Lee couldn't believe how short the walk seemed.

"Here..." Amanda suggested, reaching out, "I'll just take those files back..."

"Careful..." Lee warned, handing them back carefully to her.

"Ooof..." she fumbled and then adjusted them, "Thank you, Lee."

"You're welcome."

Amanda waited. Strangely, Lee continued standing there.

"Uh, Lee?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to….you know…." her head nudged behind her.

"No, I don't know. _What_?"

"You know…. _leave?_ " she blushed, hoping she wasn't sounding rude.

Lee bit his lip to keep from grinning, "If you don't mind, Amanda, I'd like to stay here and wait for you so I could escort you back to the office."

Her mouth dropped, "Really?" she quickly recovered, "Alriiiiight...so... I'll be right back..."

As he opened the door and Amanda moved forward, she turned once to give him a look of bafflement while he gave her a smile of encouragement.

 _Lee couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed himself so much._

She went inside, dropped the files off and accepted back a pile of completed typed reports.

As she made her way out, she could see one of the typist, Beatrice, talking with Lee, outside the front glass pane. Beatrice was definitely flirting with him, as she laughed too loud and made exaggerated hand movements.

 _All Beatrice needed to do was bat her eyes to complete the picture_ , Amanda sardonically thought.

Amanda now watched Lee smiling and nodding back. But his movements seemed politely stilted. Then before too long, Beatrice opened the door and walked into the room. But not before she flashed a big farewell smile to Lee.

 _Oh brother!_

Meanwhile, the rest of the typists were in a tither over Lee's presence. They were either sighing, giving yearning looks or whispering to one another.

She could hear wistful comments such as; _"Wished he could be MY Valentine!"/What I wouldn't give to capture HIS heart!/"I'd sure like to share with him some of MY secrets!"_

Amanda rolled her eyes at the effect Lee had on the ladies.

 _But it was understandable,_ she supposed. _What could be more desirable than a mysterious, charming and handsome spy?_

Pretending she hadn't noticed all the attention towards Lee, Amanda passed the rows of typists to join him at the front, the new files piled high in her arms again.

After he opened the door for her, he offered, "Here, give those files to me, Amanda,"

He reached out to take her files from her while a collective _Awwww!_ was heard _c_ oming from inside the steno pool, regarding his gallantry.

Lee and Amanda continued on their way back down the hallway.

"What was _that_ about?" Lee innocently asked, referring to the typists' loud sighs.

"As if YOU didn't know!" she told him, intent on not letting his ego get any bigger, and also hoping she didn't sound jealous, "I'm thinking that some of those typists wouldn't mind being on your long list for Valentine's Day!"

"Valentine's Day, eh?" he asked, "Is that coming up again... _already?_ "

"Lee Stetson, you know good and well it's coming up!" she scolded him, "After all, it's the one day of the year you can _stockpile_ on chocolates, to hand out to your gaggle of lady friends!"

Lee chuckled.

 _Amanda King would never let him get away with anything, and he actually appreciated her candidness._

"I actually _do_ think Valentine's Day is a very special day, Amanda, especially _this_ year," he cryptically stated.

She whipped her head around, "What do you mean by that?"

He had to suppress a giddy grin, "I'm just saying that I think this Valentine's will be memorable for me. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"How do you feel about Valentine's Day?"

Amanda shrugged, "I don't particularly care for getting flowers or chocolates on the day, to be honest."

Lee stopped walking, so Amanda did, too, "Why not?" he asked, with a total look of sincerity.

She hadn't expected to be this honest with Lee, but at last she revealed, "I just think getting flowers and chocolates on Valentine's day is so...expected...and meaningless. Joe was always out of the country during that time so he used to ship both items to me every year and well, I wished he had shipped himself out, instead," she miserably explained.

Lee's heart dropped at the thought of Amanda spending a lonely Valentine's by herself.

They continued walking.

 _"You deserved better that that,_ " he quietly stated.

 _Oh, why did I reveal so much, and why am I such a downer?_ she wondered.

"I think I gave you the wrong impression, Lee! I actually LOVE Valentine's Day! It's so nice that so many people can look forward to that day! Seeing everyone so happy makes ME happy! It really does!"

Her face had brightened once again.

 _Leave it to Amanda to care about other people more than herself,_ Lee thought.

They had reached the doorway of the bullpen, so Amanda stopped and held out her hands to take the files back.

"Thank you, Lee."

"You don't have to thank me yet, Amanda! And I'll be more than happy to take these files to your desk!"

He held onto the files.

"Actually, I wasn't thanking you for carrying the files," Amanda explained, "It's for ALL the gentlemanly things you do for me… like opening doors, pushing my chair in at restaurants, making sure I'm safe above your own safety, and even listening to me when I ramble on too much...like I just did now about Joe! I want you to know that although I don't say it enough, I appreciate your thoughtfulness with me!"

Her lovely almond-shaped eyes looked at him with admiration and gratitude.

Lee was speechless.

 _He couldn't explain why his gentlemanly gestures were so instinctive... when it came to HER._

"Oh, it's really not a big deal, Amanda. I, uh, do things like that for women all the time."

When Amanda leaned in to emphasize her words, Lee instantly caught her light floral scent, sending his head spinning.

 _"You didn't open the door for Beatrice earlier,_ " she pointedly noted, _"she had to open the door herself."_

"Then... I suppose it depends on the situation," he quickly answered and then changed the subject, "Come on...let's go put these files on your desk."

They entered and Lee plopped the files on Amanda's desk. Unbeknowest to him, however, the stack had managed to push aside a piece of paper that had been laying on top of Amanda's desk.

The lone paper flew loose, sailing through the air and then Lee and Amanda watched as it slowly drifted down and landed on the floor.

"Let me get that!" Lee instantly stated.

"No, I've got it!" Amanda strongly insisted.

Squatting down, they both reached down for the sheet and unintentionally, their hands touched.

And simultaneously, an electric sensation sizzled down their spines at their initial contact.

Their heads shot up and they eyed one another, dazed. Slowly getting up at the same instant, they became mesmerized at the effect the one had on the other.

There was barely a whisk of air between them as their gazes continued to lock, their cheeks blazing hot, yet they couldn't look away.

Lee felt numb as a strong feeling of yearning tugged at his heart. It was almost as if he cared about her.

Amanda was fighting against the thrumming of her heartbeat as she looked at the man she knew every woman wanted.

Hesitantly he handed the sheet of paper back to her and stated the obvious, "Uh...this fell..."

She nodded and accepted the sheet back with a shaky hand.

 _"_ T-Thanks." she responded back, her eyes large, her lips slightly parted.

"Yeah...so..."Lee's throat felt so dry he could barely speak. He cleared his throat, "Uh, there's an expense report I gotta go talk to Billy about..."

Amanda felt just as awkward, "Of course, and... I've got some typing to do..."

Lee abruptly turned and walked away, wondering what the hell just happened between them.

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 _Please review_


	4. Chapter 4

Talking it Out

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Chapter 4

For the rest of the day, Amanda avoided Lee at work. Luckily he was away from his desk often. But even when he was there, the most she would do is sneak a few stolen glances his way.

Little did she know that Lee, too, was doing the same thing, stealthily looking her way when he thought she wasn't looking.

At precisely 5 pm, Lee got up from his desk and when Amanda happened to glance his way, he nodded to her with a smile, grabbed his jacket and left.

 _Oooo, this is so very awkward_! Amanda thought.

 _I'm such a coward,_ Lee thought, as he walked out, but he didn't know what to say to her until he sorted out his feelings on why a simple touch from her affected him so much.

.

As Amanda began putting away her things on her desk in order to leave, she noticed Francine walking by.

 _No, I shouldn't talk to Francine about it,_ Amanda thought. Yet with her current work situation of being in the spy business, she knew she couldn't talk to her mother about it.

Francine had almost walked past her before Amanda called her back.

"Francine!"

Francine paused, turned towards Amanda and went back to her.

"You _rang, A_ manda?"

It was too late for Amanda to back out now.

"Yes. Could I ask you something about Lee?"

Francine smirked, "Of course you can, but believe you me, even duct tape couldn't fix _him_!"

When she didn't even see a peek of a smile from Amanda, realization hit her.

"Oh God. This is serious." Francine groaned as she grabbed a nearby chair and sat across from Amanda, "Go ahead, I'm all ears, _unless_ , of course, it's about something _good_ that happened to him."

Amanda looked hesitant, "I was wondering...have you noticed Lee acting weird today?"

"More than usual?" Francine snarked and then made a 'wipe-away' motion in the air with her hand, "Oh, sorry, I forgot. No sarcasm. Force of habit. Hmm, now, what were you saying? Oh, that's right. You thought Lee was acting weird today. No, I hadn't noticed anything different about his behavior. Why?"

Amanda must be desperate to share with Francine, but she needed a sounding wall, "It's just that...earlier, Lee had joined me in a very friendly way, and then he insisted to hold my things, and-"

"-Stop, Amanda!" Francine interrupted, crinkling her nose in distaste, "Are you speaking in code?"

"What? No!"

"Then could you get to the point faster, please?" Francine was already losing interest.

"Faster, okay," Amanda decided to skip to the end, "The point is... we shared gazes, Francine...then he stopped talking to me for the rest of the day!"

"Gazes? THAT'S what you shared?" Francine inquired, "Nothing more?"

"Nothing more... _but_ what I'm trying to tell you is...Lee seemed...almost _interested_ in me...well, before he wasn't, that is."

"Hmmm...unpredictable moodiness from Lee, no, I can't..WAIT!..."Francine then had an idea, "Amanda, did he mention Valentine's Day, per chance?"

Realization hit Amanda, "Actually _he did,_ Francine _!_ Did _that_ have anything to do with his moodiness?"

Francine smirked, "Say no more, Amanda! I think I know what happened here!"

Amanda leaned in, "Go on..."

"It's simple, really. Lee's always flirtatious just before Valentine's Day! He can't make up his mind on his choice, so he figures he needs to be attentive with ALL the women until he makes his decision! _That's_ why he runs hot, then cold. It's a very stressful time for him."

Disappointment etched in Amanda's heart, but she didn't show it, "You sure that's what this is all about? I thought that ...well..."

"..that Lee might be attracted to you?" Francine finished the thought.

Amanda slumped her shoulder, "I can tell that you don't think that's the case, Francine."

" _Au contraire, Amanda_...I'm not saying that at all!"

Amanda's forehead wrinkled as her eyes opened wide, "You're not?"

"No! What I've noticed is that he _does_ seem to show a certain... _fondness_ for you, even outside of Valentine's Day..."

Amanda felt a tingle of hope upon hearing that.

Francine was continuing, "but don't force the situation, Amanda...let things work it out on it's own. In fact, that's exactly what happened when a prince, _yes an actual prince,_ had courted me! Have I ever told you that story?"

"I believe you had, Francine."

( _In fact, several times)_ Amanda internally thought.

"So there you go!" Francine exclaimed, "I didn't force the situation and so destiny stepped in and decided I didn't need to become duchess of _such_ a tiny island!" for a second, Francine had a faraway look, then returned to reality, "You DO get what I'm saying, don't you, Amanda?"

"That destiny steps on everyone?" Amanda responded, trying to think like Francine.

"Flattens you like a pancake!" Francine smiled, pleased that Amanda caught on so quickly

.

The next day, Lee was already at his desk reading his newspaper when Amanda walked into the bullpen.

Despite hiding behind the huge paper, Lee could tell she was heading his way by the familiar click-clack of her heels. He peeked out from behind the paper and noticed her expression looked solemn.

 _Ooo boy. Best he act as if everything were normal._

"Good morning, Amanda," he greeted her, "And what brings you my way so early in the morning?"

"We need to talk, Lee," Amanda insisted, and then remembering her manners, she added, "and a good morning to you, too, Lee."

 _He internally moaned, hating the 'we need to talk' speech._

Lee reluctantly folded the newspaper and tossed it on his desk.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Well..." Amanda began, "I wanted to talk about that moment we shared yesterday.."

"Moment we shared?" he feigned innocence, "what moment is that? We've shared plenty of moments _plenty_ of times!"

"No, not _those_ kind of moments, but a _moment_ moment… remember when that paper had dropped yesterday at my desk? And then you and I had reached down to pick it up at the same time, and-"

"Oh, ohhhh... THAT moment! What about it?"

 _He sure wasn't making it easy._

"Wellll," Amanda awkwardly began, "I wanted to make sure everything is good between us."

"Yeah. Sure. We're fine. Good."

Amanda lifted a questioning brow, "That's a lot of affirmations, Lee."

Lee just wanted to get this conversation over with, "Amanda, you wanted to know if things were fine between us. You asked and I answered. Anything else?"

Amanda looked exasperated, "Lee, why are you making this talk so difficult?"

"Uh….because I'm a man?"

"Lee! You're not taking this seriously!"

"Alright...I get it...this is serious, so let me get into my listening mode..."

He then got up and went over to sit at the edge of his desk, very close to where Amanda was standing. He wanted to show he was giving her his full attention, but instead, he was so close to her that his heart began to thump rapidly at her presence.

"Uh…." Lee hadn't expected that reaction, but encouraged her, "Go on. I'm listening."

But now Amanda couldn't. She found herself caught in his stare and it was as if they had already spoken their most private thoughts to one another.

Lee's eyes continued to move over every inch of her face.

 _When had she turned so beautiful?_ He wondered.

He never noticed how delicate and lovely her features were until now. And her eyes expressed everything. The last thing he wanted to do was be the one to take the spark out of them.

Her face flushed at the way he was watching her, "It's so strange between us. Don't you think so, too?"

"It was... weird yesterday, Amanda, I agree," he admitted and then privately thought, _and just as weird now_.

Amanda took a hard swallow, "It's just that...sometimes you seem so frustrated with me, and other times...not so much...and then there's that _moment_ moment which leaves me confused...Lee, I just want to know how you feel about me? And don't worry, I can take whatever you say."

Lee had been thinking the exact same question last night. Over and over again. And because of that, he barely slept.

Until he finally figured out the answer.

Looking at Amanda's hopeful face, Lee thought of all the times she had put up with his nonsense, his grumpiness. She truly deserved a truthful answer, even if his feelings about her were still jumbled up.

But it wouldn't be easy for him to tell her. He folded his arms, as a way to put a barrier between them.

"Amanda, the only way I can describe how I feel about you is this... You've made an indelible impression on me."

Her eyes widened while her heart was beating frantically at his answer. She found it hard to steady herself. _Sure, it wasn't a true confession of anything from him, but at least it wasn't anything negative. At least she didn't think so._

 _And it almost sounded poetic. So unlike Lee, the insincere, impatient agent. But she knew that was a facade._

It was only through sheer will that she was able to slow down her rapid heartbeat enough to answer.

"Thank you, Lee, for being honest with me."

Lee was still trying to understand why Amanda had such an effect him. Maybe this Valentine match-up at lunch might give him some answers. He found himself actually looking forward to it.

"So, are we good?" Lee asked.

Amanda nodded, pleased, "Oh yes, Lee, good."

Lee unfolded his arms, "Good. Let's more on, then. So...what's on your agenda today?"

The situation had relaxed again, and Amanda was glad.

 _She had to remind herself that she must never lose her head to Lee Stetson_. _If she would, the rip in her heart would never mend._

"Oh, just a regular day for me, really! I just plan to do some filing and transcribing in the morning," Amanda casually explained, sounding more like herself, "and then at lunchtime, I plan to pick up my clothes from the cleaners."

 _The cleaners!_ Lee gleefully thought, So to _day would be the day The Matchmaker would talk to Amanda about her 'destiny!"_

" _Really_ now? The cleaners?" Lee seemed fascinated, "You're going there? At lunchtime? That's nice. Good luck."

 _Such a strange reaction to a simple errand_ , Amanda thought. She tilted her head in confusion, "Why would I need _luck_? I'm just picking up some cleaned clothes!"

By then, however, Lee had returned to behind his desk. He next unfolded his newspaper and pretended to be reading it again in order to hide his mischievous smile, "You never know, Amanda, anything can happen at the dry cleaners!"

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 _(Thanks everyone, for your support and a special shout-out to all the anonymous reviews!)_

 _Please review_


	5. Chapter 5

Decisions

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Chapter 5

The familiar tinkling bell made Mary look up from her paperwork.

"Amanda!" she cheerfully greeted, pushing aside her papers.

"Good afternoon, Mary!" Amanda happily responded back, "I hope I hadn't come here too soon to pick up my clothes..."

"Not at all, Lass!" Mary waved that thought aside and then gestured behind her, "Oi've got yer dry-cleaned duds all set ter go fer yer!"

Then turning around, she retrieved the correct plastic bags, without needing a ticket.

Placing the items on the counter, Mary announced, "It'll be $20, Dearie."

"Alright." Amanda agreed, opening her pocketbook.

"By and by," Mary casually mentioned, "de other day, Oi had a new customer come in. And a very _fine_ man he wus!"

"Oh, that's nice for you," Amanda politely smiled, as she handed the money over.

But Mary was not done, "Very chivalrous he wus...an' strong'...an' funny, he wus, too...wi' a 'heart o' gold ter boot!"

Amanda now caught on to what Mary was hinting at.

Putting her hands on her hips, Amanda chided her, "Mary Colleen O'Donnell! Are you trying to set me up?"

Mary nonchalantly answered back, "Jus' makin' sure yer have sum company fer Valentine's Day is al' Oi'm doin'!"

"And I told YOU earlier that I'm perfectly fine spending my time with Mother and the boys!"

"Pshaw, tat is not ter be!" Mary reacted, "Oi knaw fer a fact tat yer boys will be a-goin' fer a sleepover tat day, whilst yer ma will be a-goin' oyt!"

"Mother's going out?" Amanda questioned, "She _told_ you that?"

"Aye, tat she did!" Mary acknowledged.

 _"She never said anything to me about going out,_ " Amanda half-mumbled to herself, and then she directly asked Mary, "Who is she going out with on Valentine's Day?"

"Why, she's goin' oyt wit' der finest meat craftsman in all the warld ov food, don't-ya-knaw!"

"Meat craftsman in the world of food?" Amanda thought, as her eyes widened, "Mary! Is my mother going out with Stan the butcher at Food World?"

The Matchmaker's eyes had a mischievous glint,"De very same!"

"And don't tell me...YOU'RE the one who set them up?"

"Aye, it's whut I do best!" Mary winked, "They'd be sharin' lunch together fer de last two weeks!"

"No wonder we've been getting better cuts of meat lately!" Amanda exclaimed as they both laughed.

Then Mary reminded her, "An' Oi've got a guid match fer yer as well, Dear Lass! An upstandin' gentleman he'd be, wi' a countenance as handsum as ter scenic cliffs of Moher! Oi guarantee it! Why not give it a go? Oi HATE ter think yer be spendin' Valentine's Day alone! "

Amanda tried not to sound as glum as she felt, "Thank you, Mary, I appreciate the effort, but I'll be fine on my own."

Mary had been watching Amanda's face intensely.

"Ah, dearie me! O' course! Oi get it now!" Mary stated in a distressed tone as she came around the counter. She concernedly grabbed hold of Amanda's hands, "Truly de eyes be de windows ter de soul, fer yer sadden eyes be tellin' me yer heart is a-breakin' fer a man tat's not ter be!"

Amanda blushed at Mary's accurate words, "Ohhh, it's not that bad for me, really..."

"Dear Heart," Mary's tone was gentler, "listen to yer Grand-Aunt Mary, naw! Yer need ter believe in jus' one thing... _someone speshul_ is oyt thare fer yer!"

Amanda tried to be cheerful by teasing, "Well, if that's true, he's certainly doing a great job of hiding from me!"

"Tat's why Oi'm here...to bring him oyt in de open fer yer!" Mary claimed. When Amanda didn't look convinced, Mary added "Think ov it tis way, Lass...if tis handsum Lad Oi speak ov is not yer destiny, maybe he can at least be a friend ter help yer heart begin ter heal!"

"I'm just not sure about all this, Mary," she considered, "After all, I don't know _anything_ about this man! What does he do for a job, for instance?"

"Oh, Oi'd tell yer if I culd, but Oi don't know de answer ter tat one!"

"I thought that would be one of the first things you ask him," Amanda commented, "I know it would be with Mother!"

Mary shrugged, "Whut wuld it matter his job naw, as long as he's a kind-hearted lad doin' a honest day's work?"

"And you know all this goodness about him in the TEN minutes you've known him?" Amanda questioned.

"No, Dearie," Mary corrected her, "Oi've knaw all tis guidness aboyt him in de first FIVE minutes Oi'd met 'im!"

"Perhaps... but, Mary, he's still a stranger to me."

"Listen, Lassie," Mary continued, "An auld Oi-rish romance poet once say, 'There are no strangers, only lads we haven't met yet'!"

 _"Still,"_ Amanda answered hesitantly, "it's a strange way to meet someone, especially on Valentine's Day..."

 _"Not at all!"_ Mary countered, "It's tradition fer us! Why, back 'n Oir-land, we wud exchange Valentine cards wit'one another, an de cards were alwus left _unsigned!_ We had NO idea who had sent tis one o' tat one! But tat wus de fun ov it all! We then went aboyt ter village, tryin' to figure oyt our secret admirers! Such suspense an' joy it wuld bring us, ter find who wrote whaich one!"

Amanda smiled, "I have to admit, that IS a sweet way to find your Valentine..."

"It's wurked fer us fer centuries, it has!" Mary stated as she next closed the deal, "So it's a pact, then! A lunch date at noon, on Valentine's Day at Paddy's!"

"The pub down Columbia Pike?" Amanda questioned, "Isn't that place always crowded?

"Not ter worry, Amanda! Oi knaw de owner ov de place, an' he promised ter save de finest table fer yer! An' if not," Mary imitated a scolding index finger, "he'd be hearin' from me, wit' words as sharp as a whip!"

"But...how will I know which one is _him_?"

"He'll be wearin' a red handkerchief in his jacket pocket! Tat way, yer surely knaw it be him!"

Amanda was out of excuses, "Looks like you've thought of everything..."

"Aye, Oi knaw me business, an' believe me, Cupid's arrow will be fast _but_ accurate!" claimed Mary, and added for Amanda's benefit, "even if tat arrow be only an arrow ov friendship!"

Amanda looked cynically at Mary, "I thought _Destiny_ determined our fate, not Cupid."

"Aye, destiny will be thare as well, Lass, fer _'Destiny'_ is, in fact, _Cupid's_ LAST name!"

"Oh, Mary!" Amanda laughed.

 _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad_ , Amanda optimistically thought, _for once,_ _Valentine's Day wouldn't be her loneliest holiday._

Just then the shop bell tinkled again, signaling another customer had entered the store.

And all talk of matchmaking for Amanda had to come to an end.

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Later that night inside his apartment, Lee tossed back a drink and then slammed the emptied glass down.

What started out as a humorous prank in conspiracy with Mary the Matchmaker didn't seem so funny now, not since he felt something ignite between Amanda and him.

If they shared a luncheon on Valentine's Day, he didn't want Amanda to get the wrong impression about how he felt about her.

 _Whatever those feelings might be._

 _Regarding matters of the heart, Lee hadn't felt anything since Eva and even then, it was different. Eva was sexy, smoldering and mysterious; Eva inspired every man's fantasy._

 _Amanda, meanwhile, was...smart, cheerfully down-to-earth, and understanding; she inspired every man to...to what?_ He paused a bit to help complete his thought _...Amanda inspired every man to nobly settle down and become a better version of himself!_

 _Certainly not him!_

The shock of that last thought caused him to fill his glass again, this time filling it to the very, very top.

 _Maybe he should cancel the luncheon Mary had set up between them on Valentine's day._

 _Maybe._

Ignoring his drink, Lee walked over to the counter and picked up the business card that Mary O'Donnell had given him. The front of the card stated the usual business name, address and phone number. He flipped the card over to read Mary's personal scribblings:

Paddy's Pub

Columbia Pike

February 14th

Noon

Wear red handkerchief in jacket pocket

He stared long and hard at the words, wondering what to do.

 _Then again, maybe he was worrying needlessly. Perhaps The Matchmaker had not been able to convince Amanda to meet up with a 'secret' Valentine._

 _Who was he kidding?_ _Mary the Matchmaker could sell greenery to lush fields, cliffs to mountainsides, and fluffy wool to sheep!_ he thought.

 _Oooo boy, he face-palmed himself; he was more of a romance poet than Mary!_

He pensively looked off into space, weighing the pros and cons as he subconsciously tapped the business card with his other hand.

Then he stopped the tapping.

Lee had finally come to a decision.

He would cancel the date.

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 _Please review_


	6. Chapter 6

Valentine's Day, part 1

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Chapter 6

After canceling his Valentine's Day date, Lee hung up his phone.

He felt relieved not having to spend a Valentine's dinner with Marlene. He hated to disappoint her, but he no longer felt enthusiastic about a late February 14th nightcap. Instead, having lunch with Amanda on Valentine's Day would be enough for him. In fact, no matter how good or bad the Valentine luncheon turned out, he was still looking forward to it.

.

It was Valentine's Day at last.

With her hand cradling her cheek, Amanda sat absentmindedly at her desk, with a faraway look.

 _ _Oh, why had I let Mary convince me to meet up with an unknown someone on Valentine's Day, of all days?!__ She internally berated herself, _Maybe it would have been better to be alone on Valentine's Day! After all, there wasn't anyone she'd want to be with on that day..._ she paused _,... wellllll, except perhaps..._

"-Good morning, Amanda!" boomed a familiar male voice, causing Amanda to jump out of her seat.

Her head shot up to see Lee suddenly in front of her desk, smiling down on her.

 _ _Oh gosh!__

Amanda quickly began re-arranging all the objects on her desk in an attempt to look busy.

It didn't fool Lee in the least.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking at her actions.

Amanda tried to act as if everything was normal, as she picked up her desk calendar and then put it down, "Nothing important, really. I'm just organizing my desk."

"...by picking up random objects and putting them back down in exactly the same spot? That method of organizing may take a week to complete!" he teased.

 _It was almost as if he were enjoying her nervousness._

She quit fussing with the items on her desk, "Why are you at my desk, anyway?" she bristled.

Lee held up his hands defensively, "Heyyyy, I just came over to greet you, is all!"

Amanda became immediately apologetic, "Oh. Good morning! And sorry. I guess I easily get frustrated when I'm caught wasting time at work."

"So why were you so distracted before I came up?" he inquired.

"I said I was frustrated, not distracted! " she quickly denied, but then realized how much she hated lying, "...okay, maybe a little distracted, I guess."

There was the sound of footsteps coming towards them, halting their conversation. Betty from Accounting came over to Amanda's desk to drop off time-sheets and also a small, pink envelope.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Amanda!" Betty greeted her, while specifically handing her the pink envelope. She then looked at Lee and flashed her best smile, "And a verrry Happy Valentine's Day to you, too, Agent Stetson!"

Lee put his hands behind his back and slightly bowed, "Good day, Betty."

Amanda was determined to ignore Betty's obvious attraction to Lee, "Thank you, Betty, for the valentine!" she smiled, and then held up an index finger, "But don't go just yet! I have something for you, too!"

Then reaching down, Amanda retrieved a wicker basket, covered with a red cloth, and placed it on her desk. Pulling back the cloth cover, she then reached in and pulled out one of her heart-shaped homemade cookies, wrapped in cellophane and tied with a lovely red ribbon.

"Happy Valentine's Day to you, Betty!" Amanda stated back, handing her the cookie.

"Oh! How sweet! Thank you, Amanda!" Betty happily exclaimed. She then turned to Lee, "And I hope to see YOU later, Agent Stetson!" she cooed.

.

After Betty left, Lee snapped his fingers, "That's _riiight!"_ he exclaimed, as if the thought just entered his mind, "It's Valentine's Day today!" he then longingly peered inside the basket," So how about a cookie for me? Do **I** get to be your Valentine, too?"

 _The thought that he would even considered that caused Amanda's pulse to race._

 _But she knew he would never be her Valentine._

Quickly whipping the cloth back over the basket again, she saucily stated, "Sorry, Lee, but as usual, you came to work late, and I had _just_ given away the last of my Valentine cookies, as you just witnessed! All gone!"

"Is that so?" Lee didn't look the least bit hurt, "Because just before you covered the basket, I could have SWORN I saw one more cookie in there!"

Amanda's cheeks reddened. The last cookie was reserved for her lunch match-up today.

"Wellll, if you must know, I'm, uh, saving that cookie for a particular someone... later today," she awkwardly revealed.

Lee lifted a brow, "Oh? Man or woman?"

"Like I would tell _you_ ," Amanda sardonically stated, "besides, you don't need a cookie from _me_. I'm sure _other_ women today will be _more than happy_ to give you _their_ cookies!"

She prepared herself for a snide response from him, but instead, his cheeks reddened, something she had never seen before.

He covered up his reaction by looking down and absentmindedly drawing imaginary circles on her desk with his index finger, "You know, Amanda..." he slowly began, "...sometimes I do believe that you have the wrong impression of me."

He then lifted his head and his gaze swept over hers, causing her heart to beat twice as fast.

 _ _Relax. Breathe in and out__

"Really now?" she cynically asked, once she recovered, "Are you saying you're going to be alone today... on _Valentine's Day_?"

 _ _Now, why did I say it like that?__ she internally cringed _, It almost sounded as if I cared!_

He gave her a lingering half-smile, "As usual, Amanda, you are correct. I will not be alone today."

 _She figured. B_ _ _ut hearing him admitting it caused disappointment to pierce her heart.__

 _ _"__ Well, then," Amanda responded, "I guess it's good that we both won't be alone today."

He continued to give her a measured look, "I guess so. But I'm still waiting for the identity of your cookie date."

 _Amanda thought perhaps he might be jealous, but when she studied his face, he didn't show any type of jealousy. Only interest. Darn it!_

 _"_ It's not a date... really," Amanda responded, wishing to be anywhere but here.

"A-ha! I knew it! Not _really_ a date! That means it's a _man_ you're giving the cookie to!"

She thinned her lips, "I see you're not going to stop until I tell you who will get the last cookie."

He shrugged, "Valentine's Day makes me nosy."

She heaved a sigh, "Okay. But don't laugh. The thing is, I was set up by..." she paused, trying to work up her nerve, "... _a matchmaker."_

Surprisingly Lee didn't laugh. In fact, his eyes seemed to be dancing, "Really now? A Matchmaker?"

"Yes, a Matchmaker!" Amanda responded, proudly holding her head up high, "You've got a problem with that?"

"No, no problem, not really... _but_...isn't a Matchmaker just someone who basically says, (Lee counted with his index finger) 'Eenie, meenie, minee, moe, you're IT', to a selection of potential dates?"

"I already told you it _isn't_ a date, Lee! You just don't understand!"

"Okay, you're right; maybe I don't understand," Lee concurred, "I'm just surprised. Do you really think this Matchmaker of yours could find a perfect match for you?"

"Well, I certainly wouldn't find that perfect match here at the workplace!" Amanda stated, and then realizing her blunder, she tried to salvage her pride, for the last thing she needed was a pity look from Lee, "What I _meant_ to say is that this Matchmaker is VERY good at what she does, and who knows? Maybe she _will_ find the perfect match for me so that I can give away my heart to _him!"_

Lee dramatically dropped his mouth in shock, "You can do that?"

Baffled, Amanda tilted her head, "Do what?"

"Give away your heart to him….WITHOUT surgery?"

And despite herself, Amanda laughed.

"Okay, " she stated, "maybe it _does_ sound like wistful thinking, but, Lee ...you never know!"

He gave her an arresting stare, as if he were sizing up the situation. His intense look caused Amanda's heartbeat to reverberate in every part of her body.

"You're right, Amanda... _you never know,"_ he sagely commented, emphasizing the last part.

A flush of heat went through her chest at how low and sensual his voice sounded.

She would have preferred Lee to continue mocking her about the Matchmaker because then she could fire back with some clever, insulting retort. But giving her supportive words, along with his intense gaze, was slowly unnerving her.

She needed to stop these yearning feelings.

"I...uh...have to get back to work," Amanda stated as she randomly picked up two pieces of paper and stapled them together.

A smile tugged at Lee's lips.

"Amanda?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you always staple your time sheet to your Bulgarian translations?"

"What? Oh."

Blushing, Amanda went into her drawer to get the staple remover.

Lee thought she was adorable when she was flustered.

"Oh, and Amanda?"

She heaved a sigh, " _Now_ what, Lee?"

"I gotta go, but just wanted to say..." he paused, and then took a deep breath, "...I hope this is a good Valentine's Day match-up for you and you won't be disappointed."

 _Disappointed? What a strange word choice._

But when her gaze traveled over his, she could tell he was speaking from the heart. And it touched her.

She leaned in and whispered, _"I hope so, too, Lee."_

And as Amanda watched his retreating backside, she made a promise to herself to not compare today's lunch match-up to Lee.

Meanwhile, as Lee walked away, he looked nervously at his watch. Lunchtime would be in two hours.

 _He just hoped he didn't blow it somehow._

 _._

 _._

 _Last chapter coming up!_

 _Please review_


	7. Chapter 7

Valentine's Day, part 2

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Chapter 7

Paddy's Pub was a popular Irish tavern, located a bit down the way on Columbia Pike. With a laid back, spirited style, the place was always buzzing, always cheerful and always welcoming.

The tiny, dark wood interior had a cozy feel, with lots of nooks, crannies and Irish knickknacks. Tiny round tables were heavily sprinkled throughout, making it difficult to walk about. A beautifully carved wooden counter centered the pub, with rows and rows of Irish and Scottish beers or whiskeys shelved behind it.

And business was booming on Valentine's Day.

Paddy the owner instantly recognized Amanda from Mary O'Donnell's description. She was shown a private booth in the corner, with an open view of the front door.

After taking a seat, Amanda carefully placed her wrapped Valentine cookie on the table and looked around the boisterous room. But disappointingly, no one seemed to be wearing a jacket with a red folded handkerchief square stuffed in its pocket.

A menu was presented to her and she spent the time nervously half glancing at the menu and half looking up.

 _Maybe The Match-up won't even come,_ she morosely thought as she looked up from the menu, _or worse_ , m _aybe he had arrived early, took a look at me, and immediately left..._

 _No,_ she determined, _I MUST be optimistic! Mr. Match is probably a little late because-_

-she never finished her thought because as she discreetly viewed the door, who should she see entering the pub but LEE!

 _Oh no!_ She immediately scooted down in her seat and used the menu to shield her face.

 _What is Lee doing here?_ Amanda anxiously internalized, _I must not be seen! Did he know I'd be meeting my date here?_

Slowly peeking around the menu to check if he left, her nerves sparked in sudden alarm when she saw he had spotted her and was staring directly at her.

 _Nooooo!_ She could practically see his dimples from across the room as he headed her way.

Hoping she had been mistaken, she quickly ducked behind the security of the menu. But she scrunched her face in annoyance when she heard approaching footsteps.

 _No, no, n-_

"-Afternoon, Amanda," she heard him say from the other side of the menu.

She froze and considered her options. _She must get him to leave immediately_. Bravely lowering the menu, she straighten herself.

"Hello, Lee," she greeted, casually putting the menu aside. Then with a voice as sweet as molasses, she stated, "How pleasant you're here... please leave."

Lee hid his grin and gestured towards the empty seat, "Mind if I sit down?"

"What!?" Amanda panicked, "Didn't you hear me? I actually DO mind if you sit d-"

Too late, he sat.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Then he looked around, "The place is really buzzing today, isn't it? No seats anywhere! Good thing I found this one!"

 _Amanda was indignant with his brazenness; the gloves were off._

"Lee! I can't be seen with you here!"

He looked surprised, "Why not? You're seen with me everywhere else!" He looked about again, "I hope we can get some service... I'm really thirsty now...how about you?"

Then he turned and held up his index finger, intent on catching the eye of the waitress, to make an order.

It had all happened so fast; Amanda was aghast.

"What are you doing? I didn't ask for service! And don't you DARE order anything!" she insisted, "Just...just straighten yourself all the way up to an upright position and leave!"

He seemed to be almost enjoying himself as he answered, "I would, but all this searching for a seat made me thirsty!"

 _Amanda was thoroughly frustrated, but as she stared at the blue pocket-square in his jacket pocket, she couldn't help wishing the handkerchief was red instead of blue._

By now the waitress arrived with her order pad.

"I'll have a Guinness," Lee nonchalantly ordered, as he turned towards a flustered Amanda, "Amanda? What'll you have?"

"I do NOT want-"

He leaned and whispered to her, _"Amanda, they'll kick you out if you don't order anything!"_

 _"Fine!"_ she stated through gritted teeth and then faked a smile to the waitress, "I'll take a Chardonnay, extra dry, please."

The waitress put one hand on her hip,"You're kidding, right?"

When Amanda looked confused, Lee whispered, _"Amanda, we're in an Irish pub on a celebratory day!"_ Then he gave the waitress his most charming smile and put up two fingers, "Two pints of Guinness, please, and we'll be ordering the food later."

"Coming up, Honey," the waitress stated and turned to leave.

Once they were alone again, Lee casually asked, "See any appetizers you'd like on the menu?"

Amanda pounced on him, "Forget about the appetizers! You are NOT eating anything here, because you are NOT staying here!"

 _"_ But they have the best Shamrock dip!" Lee argued, as he comfortably leaned back.

"But you KNOW I'm expecting my date any moment now!"

"But I thought you told me it wasn't..." he used finger quotes, _'a date_ '?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake! Lee!"

"Relax, Amanda," Lee stated and decided he would tell her the truth now, "And before you continue to get all upset with me, there's something I've got to tell you..."

But Amanda was beyond indignant.

"No! You need to listen and answer MY question!" she countered, "Did you follow me here?" she accusingly asked.

 _Maybe he should wait until she's calmed down a bit_ _._

"What?" he looked offended, "Certainly not! I have better things to do than follow you and your little heart surgeon around!"

Amanda looked baffled, "My heart surgeon? I never told you that was his profession!"

"Didn't you say you were going to give your heart to him?" Lee reminded her.

"You KNOW what I meant when I said that!" snapped Amanda, "And that just PROVES you're the least romantic person I know!"

Amanda was expecting to hear more arguments from Lee, but when she looked at his face, she noted his eyes saddened while his lips were turned downward.

"You're right, Amanda, I probably _am_ the least romantic person you know," he glumly confessed.

Instant regret filled Amanda's heart.

 _How could she have been so rude?_

"Wait! No _._.." Amanda backed down as her expression turned apologetic, "Look, I'm sorry, Lee, for that last comment. That was uncalled for and so unlike me."

 _And once again while watching his handsome face, Amanda had wished Lee had been her Valentine's date instead, even if he was being annoying._

By now, the waitress had returned with two mugs of beer.

Lee reached over and took a swig of his beer. He noticed Amanda had not reached for her drink, but left it untouched.

"Aren't you going to drink?" he asked.

"I'm not thirsty," Amanda sulked.

"I don't blame you... I gave you no choice in drinks to order, did I?" he empathized, "But don't worry, I can remedy that..." he told her as he began to lift his hand to signal the waitress again.

"No! There's no need to do that!" Amanda insisted, as she quickly reached for his hand to pull it back down.

The instant their hands touched, they felt that familiar tingling sensation going down their spines as a warmth engulfed both of them.

And the air was throbbing with some unexpressed emotions.

Amanda quickly removed her hand and sat back down.

"Um, Lee, you don't need to call her over; just let it be, Lee."

"You've said my name twice," he pointedly stated, "Am I really making you _that_ nervous?"

"What? No!"

Then to convince him, she grabbed her mug and took a big chug.

And her throat immediately burned as she began coughing "Nervous? (Cough!) Me? No way!(Cough! Cough!)"

The little scene made Lee smile.

He leaned in to make his point, "Amanda, believe me, the last thing I want to do is ruin your Valentine's Day."

Amanda had regret written all over her face, "No, you didn't ruin it, Lee, it's just..." she heaved a sigh, "...the reason why I'm hesitant to have you here is that if my Valentine Match shows up and you're still here, he would feel as if he didn't measure up...to _you_ ," she reluctantly admitted.

 _Oh God. This was no longer a fun joke, Lee concluded. Guilt stabbed at his heart._

 _He needed to tell her._

"Amanda-"

"Hmmmm?"

Her eyes were large and luminous. The open way she was looking at him caused his body to tighten with longing.

"I..." he felt his heart thundering, "Amanda, I need to tell you something and you might not be happy with what I have to say."

Amanda turned understanding eyes at him as she squared her shoulder. This was important and she was preparing herself for the worse news possible.

"I'm listening," she stated, totally forgetting about her Valentine date.

"Okay... _Now,_ I know you didn't want anything like flowers or chocolates for Valentine's Day-"

"-Lee, what does that have to do with-"

"-Please, Amanda, you said you'd listen. This is already difficult enough for me."

Surprised, Amanda sat back and complied, "Alright..."

He continued, "...but I truly wanted to give you a gift on Valentine's Day."

"Really?" Amanda began to look around for signs of a gift.

"Yes," Lee stated as he gazed intently at her, "but it's not a gift you can see or even touch. This gift, Amanda, is a gift from the heart."

Then she watched in astonishment as Lee sat up and cleared his throat. He had been rehearsing this 'gift' for two days and he hoped he got it right. Taking a deep breath he began:

.

 _As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,_ _  
_ _Devoted to you am I_ _  
My gladful heart is yours_ _to own,_ _  
'_ _Til all the seas gone dry..._

.

Lee breathed a sigh of relief; he hadn't made a mistake. When he timidly glanced Amanda's way, he hoped he wouldn't find her laughing.

Instead, Amanda was speechless, her mind felt numb.

The clinking of glasses, the blaring of the portable TV, and the cacophony of voices had all dissolved away. Amanda was only aware of the ecstatic stillness of being with him.

Then out of nowhere, mental little clues descended upon her: _Lee saying it was a 'grand' morning...His wishing her luck at the cleaners...his showing up today...the reciting of an Irish Valentine poem.…_

 _Oh my gosh!_

 _The pieces fell into place;_ _it all made sense to her now._

She could swear she heard the ticking of the clock on the wall as her astonished eyes engaged with his waiting ones.

 _"The Matchmaker,"_ she whispered with reverence.

She watched in awe as Lee slowly reached over to remove his blue handkerchief from his outside jacket pocket. A vivid red handkerchief peeked out from that very same jacket pocket.

"The Matchmaker," he simply acknowledged.

She had so many questions, "But, Lee, how did-"

Lee stopped her questioning by wordlessly reaching over to place his hand over hers, causing her heart to begin beating erratically.

"Amanda," he began, in a gentler tone she didn't recognize, "Every year, I have a problem finding the right person for this special day, and this year I figured it would be the same. But it wasn't, and I learned something..."

Amanda swallowed hard, her eyes unblinking, "What's that?"

Lee's gaze never wavered, "I learned that I didn't need to find the right person for Valentine's Day...I needed to BE that right person on this day," he disclosed, as he squeezed her hand, "I hope you'll accept my apology, my poem, and this simple lunch as your Valentine's gift...and, more importantly, I hope you'll accept _me_ as your Valentine..." his green eyes regarded her steadily, "Amanda King, will you be my Valentine?"

She choked at the heartfelt words, her mind in a daze.

 _And she realized that Lee Stetson was the most romantic man she knew._

 _Meanwhile, Lee was patiently waiting for her response._

So she gently placed her hand on top of her cellophane-wrapped cookie, "And my answer is..." she slid the heart-shaped cookie his way, "...here is me, giving _my_ Valentine's heart to _you!_ "

And as Lee gratefully accepted Amanda's heart, he silently thanked The Matchmaker for helping to find his perfect match on Valentine's Day.

.

 _Please review_


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